The Clark Sisters The early years Did the clark sisters make music? They each began singing at an early age, and by the late 1960s Did they get any rewards or awards? "You Brought The Sunshine", the album received a Grammy nomination. Did they have any other albums? the group released albums such as Unworthy, Count It All Joy, and He Gave Me Nothing to Lose.
Did they have any death in their family?
Did the clark sisters have any death in their family?
The Clark Sisters were born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. They each began singing at an early age, and by the late 1960s they were all performing together in church services, usually singing songs written and arranged by their mother. A few years later, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark turned over control of the group to Twinkie, who would then go on to write, arrange, conduct, and produce all of the Clark Sisters' recordings. In 1973, the sisters recorded their first album, Jesus Has A Lot To Give, on their uncle's local label Billesse Records.  The following year, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark Presents The Clark Sisters was released and people around Detroit began to take notice of the group. The Clark Sisters signed to Sound of Gospel Records in 1974. Under this association, the group released albums such as Unworthy, Count It All Joy, and He Gave Me Nothing to Lose. It was not until the early 1980s that The Clark Sisters began to become more widely known. Their popularity soared with the release of the live recording Is My Living In Vain. The first live recording by The Clark Sisters spent an entire year at number one on Billboard's Gospel Music chart. Opening with the bluesy title track, each sister vocally declares that their dedication to Christ is not a useless effort. The innovative "Hi ya" was funky enough to find its way into a Tonex produced track over two decades later. Karen Clark's lead on "Speak Lord" expresses deep faith while the call to worship is raised on "Now Is The Time". Another hit from this release, "Expect Your Miracle", is still a staple in black churches across the country.  Their next release You Brought the Sunshine would prove to be a monster hit via the title track. Reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster (Jammin')," the song became a hit in church houses and on dance floors, including New York's Studio 54. "Sunshine" was picked up from its original independent gospel record label Sounds of Gospel and distributed by both Westbound Records and Elektra Records. In 1983, the song peaked at #16 on the Black Singles chart, #27 on the Club Play Charts, and #80 on the Hot R&B Charts driving the album to Gold sales. This album continues to display Twinkie's signature blend of scripture with unprecedented vocal and musical arrangements on biblically based songs like "Psalms 31." The album's other songs include the sincere prayer found within the lyrics of both "Center of Thy Will" and "Endow Me," featuring a young but already vocally mature Karen, as well as "Overdose of the Holy Ghost", showcasing Dorinda's vocal dexterity. The disco-inspired "He Keeps Me Company" is noted for its bubbly syncopation.  The sisters delivered another progressive effort in 1982, Sincerely, which included "Name It And Claim It" and the politically charged "World." Though its success was overshadowed by the previous hit "You Brought The Sunshine", the album received a Grammy nomination. CANNOTANSWER
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The Clark Sisters are an American gospel vocal group consisting of five sisters: Jacky Clark Chisholm (born 1948), Denise "Niecy" Clark-Bradford (born 1953), Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark (born 1954), Dorinda Clark-Cole (born 1957), and Karen Clark Sheard (born 1960). The Clark Sisters are the daughters of gospel musician and choral director Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. They are credited for helping to bring gospel music to the mainstream and are considered pioneers of contemporary gospel. Their biggest hits include "Is My Living in Vain", "Praise the Lord (Hallelujah)", "I Can Do All Things Through Christ That Strengthens Me", "A Praying Spirit", "Nothing to Lose, All to Gain", "Endow Me", "Jesus Is a Love Song", "Ha-Ya (Eternal Life)", "Pure Gold", "Expect Your Miracle", and their biggest, mainstream crossover hit, "You Brought the Sunshine". As a group, the Clark Sisters have won three Grammy Awards and are the highest-selling female gospel group in history. In 2020, it was announced that the Clark Sisters would be honored with the James Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award at the 35th Annual Stellar Awards.

History

Early years
The Clark Sisters were born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, to gospel choir director and musician Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. Dr. Clark was married twice: her first marriage in 1945 to Leo H. Cullum, Sr. produced two children, Leo, Jr. and Jacqueline (Jacky). After her divorce, she met and later married Pastor Elbert Clark in 1952. This marriage produced four daughters: Denise, Elbernita (Twinkie), Dorinda, and Karen. They each began singing at an early age in the choir at their father's Church of God in Christ, and by the late 1960s they were all performing together in church services, usually singing songs written and arranged by their mother. Shortly after the Clarks' divorce in 1973, Dr. Clark formally created "the Clark Sisters" and the sisters recorded their first album, Jesus Has a Lot to Give, on their uncle (their mother's younger brother) Bill Moss' local label Billesse Records. The first television appearance of the Clark Sisters was on TV Gospel Time. 

The following year, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark Presents the Clark Sisters was released and people around Detroit began to take notice of the group. The Clark Sisters signed to Sound of Gospel Records in 1974. Under this association, the group released albums such as Unworthy, Count It All Joy, and He Gave Me Nothing to Lose, which hit the top 20 of the Billboard Spiritual LPs chart. By this point, Dr. Clark had turned over control of the group to Twinkie, who continued to write, arrange, conduct, and produce all of the Clark Sisters' recordings. Their popularity soared with the release of the live recording Is My Living in Vain, in 1980. Their debut live recording was first ranked on the 1981 Billboard Spiritual Albums year-end chart at number 21, before topping the year-end Spiritual Albums chart of 1982. Opening with the bluesy title track, each sister vocally declares that their dedication to Christ is not a useless effort. The innovative "Ha-Ya (Eternal Life)" was funky enough to find its way into a Tonex-produced track over two decades later. Karen Clark's lead on "Speak Lord" expresses deep faith while the call to worship is raised on "Now Is the Time". Another hit from this release, "Expect Your Miracle", is still a staple in African American churches across the country.

Mainstream success (1981-1984)
Their next release, You Brought the Sunshine (1981), became successful due to its title track. Reminiscent of Stevie Wonder's "Master Blaster (Jammin')", the song became a hit in churches and on dance floors across the country, including New York's Studio 54. "You Brought the Sunshine (Into My Life)" was picked up from its original independent gospel record label Sound of Gospel and distributed by both Westbound Records and Elektra Records. In 1983, the song peaked at number 16 on Billboard Black Singles, number 27 on Dance Club Songs and in 2020 – the Live: One Last Time (2007) recording – hit number 11 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart. The album was also a commercial success, peaking at number nine on the US Top Gospel Albums chart and also appeared on both the 1983 and 1984 year-end charts at number two and 25 respectively. Furthermore, Billboard ranked The Clark Sisters as the number-four Top Gospel Albums Artist of 1982 and number-one Top Gospel Albums Artist of 1983.

The sisters delivered another album in 1982, Sincerely, which included "Name It, Claim It" and the politically charged "World". Though its success was overshadowed by You Brought the Sunshine, the sisters received their first Grammy Award nomination for Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group for the album at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards. Shortly after winning the Grammy nomination, the Clark Sisters won the NAACP Image Award for best gospel group for 1983. After receiving a second Grammy nomination in the Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group category for the song, "He'll Turn Your Scars into Stars" – later included on the album Heart & Soul (1986) – the sisters were invited to perform live on the following 27th Annual Grammy Awards in 1985, alongside their mother, where they performed "Hallelujah" as part of a medley with the year's fellow gospel nominees.

Denise's departure and subsequent projects (1986-1994)
In 1986, after a four-year gap between releases, the sisters Jacky, Twinkie, Dorinda, and Karen (sister Denise left the group earlier that year) continued to release music, signing with Rejoice Records, a division of Word. This new deal yielded the Grammy-nominated Heart & Soul, featuring the mainstream single "Time Out". This project made a top-five debut on Billboard's Gospel Charts and garnered the group a Dove Award. It featured the original versions of "Jesus Is a Love Song", "There Is a Balm in Gilead", and "Pray for the USA", all of which have been re-recorded several times. Although not pictured, Denise had contributed to the album before her departure but was later removed from the album. The music took on a more contemporary sound with programmed drums and synthesizers. Also included on this album were "Smile, God Loves You", "I Am Blessed", and the funky "He'll Turn Your Scars into Stars".

In 1988, The Clark Sisters released their Billboard chart-topping and critically acclaimed album Conqueror. It featured a bolder, more intense sound, with synthesizers, drum machines, and more funk-oriented beats. Conqueror quickly became a fan favorite with hits like "The Darkest Hour Is Just Before the Day", "Take Me Higher", "For the Love of the People", "Computers Rule the World", and the original studio version of "Jesus Forevermore".

In 1989, The Clark Sisters released their live album, Bringing It Back Home, recorded in their home town of Detroit. It was the last recording from The Clark Sisters on Word Records' Rejoice imprint and the last group album with Twinkie just before the launch of her solo career. The album included both previous hits and new material. It also featured guest appearances from Rance Allen and backing choir vocals from the Michigan State Choir under the direction of their mother, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark.

In 1994, The Clark Sisters (Jacky, Dorinda, and Karen) released their last studio album of the decade, Miracle, which was the first album recorded without the songwriting and vocals of sister Twinkie. Produced by BeBe Winans and Michael J. Powell, this disc featured a commercialized version of the Clark Sisters classic "Expect Your Miracle" (now titled "Miracle") and a remake of "Jesus Is the Best Thing". Dorinda made her songwriting debut on a Clark Sisters recording with "Work to Do". The album, although it fared well in sales, did not match the success of previous albums due to the Clark Sisters not being able to tour and promote the project due to the illness of their mother, Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, who died in September 1994 from diabetes complications.

Solo careers (1995-2006)
Following their last Word Records release, Twinkie resumed her calling as a minister and her solo career. She had previously released two solo albums under the Sound of Gospel Record label: 1979's Praise Belongs to God and 1981's Ye Shall Receive Power. In 1992 she recorded her independent solo album Comin' Home. She re-appeared in 1996 with a pair of albums to her credit: the solo studio release The Masterpiece for Ben Tankard's Tribute Records label and the live project Twinkie Clark-Terrell Presents the Florida A&M University Gospel Choir.  She later released the following albums: Twinkie Clark & Friends: Live in Charlotte in 2002, Home Once Again: Live in Detroit in 2004, With Humility in 2011, Live & Unplugged in 2015, and with her nephew Larry Clark (her sister Denise's oldest son) The Generations in 2020.

Karen delivered her solo debut Finally Karen in 1997. The album, featuring The Clark Sisters, Faith Evans, and daughter Kierra Sheard, was nominated for a Grammy Award, in addition to winning a Soul Train Lady of Soul Award. She has since released five more solo albums: 2nd Chance, The Heavens Are Telling, It's Not Over, All in One, and Destined to Win.

Dorinda released her self-titled debut solo album, Dorinda Clark-Cole in 2002, earning her two Stellar Awards, and a Soul Train Lady of Soul award. She has since released four more solo albums: Live in Houston and Take It Back, each of which have earned her the award for Female Vocalist of the Year at the Stellar Awards; I Survived in 2011, and in 2015, she released her fifth solo album, Living It, which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album.

Jacky released her first solo project, Expectancy, in 2005, which features The Clark Sisters on the track "Blessing Me". In 2014, she released an urban-inspired single, "My Season", followed by singles "Cover Me" and "Shout". In February 2020, she released a single "Feel Good", featuring Mary J. Blige and rapper Tia P.

The Clark Sisters have all contributed in various capacities to each other's albums, whether they sang or wrote lyrics.

Live...One Last Time and Grammy recognition (2007-2009)
On July 8, 2006, The Clark Sisters (Jacky, Twinkie, Dorinda, and Karen) recorded a live album in Houston, Texas, entitled Live...One Last Time. The recording was directed and produced by Donald Lawrence and was released as a CD on April 10, 2007 on EMI Gospel, followed by a CD/DVD Special Edition release on June 19, 2007. In support of the reunion album, the Clark Sisters embarked on a 25-city concert tour beginning October 4, 2007 in Nashville, Tennessee. Though they had been thrice nominated previously for the Best Soul Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group Grammy with 1982's Sincerely, 1986's Heart & Soul, and 1988's Conqueror without a win, the group was nominated for two Grammys in 2008. Live...One Last Time won the award for Best Traditional Gospel Album. Its album track "Blessed & Highly Favored" won the award for Best Gospel Performance, and as songwriter of "Blessed & Highly Favored," sister Karen Clark Sheard won the individual award for Best Gospel Song. Additionally, at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony featuring a gospel segment with Aretha Franklin, BeBe Winans, Israel & New Breed, and Trin-i-tee 5:7, the Clark Sisters performed a snippet of their signature hit "You Brought the Sunshine" when the ceremony was broadcast on February 10 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Following the group's resurgence in popularity, Rhino Entertainment released a greatest-hits collection including material from three albums recorded for Word Records from the mid-1980s through the early 1990s, including the Grammy-nominated Heart & Soul. The album, Encore: The Best of the Clark Sisters, was released on February 12, 2008. In December of that year, TV One's popular hour-long music documentary series Unsung featured the Clark Sisters in its second episode. The episode, which highlighted the group's role in breaking down barriers in gospel music, featured interviews with each sister except sister Denise Clark Bradford, who since leaving the group, had relocated to California and had begun a ministry.

In 2009, the Clark Sisters released their second Christmas album, entitled The Clark Sisters' Family Christmas, which featured special appearances by Karen's daughter Kierra Sheard, and their cousins Bill Moss, Jr. and James Moss (known as J. Moss). The album was produced by Karen's son, J. Drew Sheard, II.

Lifetime movie and The Return (2018-present)
On November 11, 2018, it was reported that The Clark Sisters would have a television biopic, The Clark Sisters: First Ladies of Gospel. The film aired on Lifetime on April 11, 2020, and netted a viewership of 2.7 million, giving the network its highest rated original movie in four years. The film was executive produced by Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott, and Mary J. Blige, and starred Aunjanue Ellis as Dr. Mattie Moss Clark, Angela Birchett as Jacky Clark Chisholm, Raven Goodwin as Denise Clark Bradford, Christina Bell as Twinkie Clark, Sheléa Frazier as Dorinda Clark Cole, and Kierra Sheard as her mother, Karen Clark Sheard. The movie was directed by Christine Swanson, the story was by Camille Tucker, with a teleplay by Sylvia L. Jones and Camille Tucker.

The Clark Sisters were among hundreds of artists whose material was destroyed in the 2008 Universal fire.

On October 18, 2019, the Clark Sisters debuted their new single "Victory" on Erica Campbell's radio show Get Up Erica. The single was later released on November 15, 2019, through Karew/Motown Gospel/Capitol CMG On March 13, 2020, the Clark Sisters released their seventeenth album, The Return. Their first release in over a decade, it featured production from J. Drew Sheard, II, Warryn Campell, Rodney Jerkins, Jermaine Dupri, Mano Hines, and Kurt Carr, with a special feature by Snoop Dogg on the track, "His Love".

Artistry

"The Clark Sound"
Since early in the group's development, Twinkie has been the chief songwriter, vocal arranger, and producer for the group. The Clark Sisters as a whole are renowned for their group style, dubbed as "the Clark Sound". They incorporate high and fast melismas, acrobatic trills and riffs, and deep, soulful growls or "squalls". While they have been praised for their precise harmonies, The Clark Sisters are also known for their individual, distinctive vocal styles, and while there is no single lead vocalist in the group, each sister has led a handful of songs over the years.

The Clark Sisters have cited Aretha Franklin, who also grew up in Detroit, as a major musical influence. When Franklin died of pancreatic cancer in 2018, the Clark Sisters sang one of their signature songs, "Is My Living in Vain", at her service.

Group timeline and structure

Influence and covers
The Clark Sisters are credited as vocal inspirations to Faith Evans, Kelly Price, Mary Mary, Queen Latifah, Kelly Rowland, Mary J. Blige, Yebba and Mariah Carey. Their musical influence has been celebrated through covers and interpolations from both religious and secular artists alike.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Compilation albums

Singles
as lead artist

as a featured artist

Other charted songs

Other appearances

Awards

BET Awards

The BET Awards are awarded annually by the Black Entertainment Television network. The Clark Sisters have received 2 nominations.

Dove Awards

The Dove Awards are awarded annually by the Gospel Music Association. The Clark Sisters have won 2 awards from 8 nominations.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. The Clark Sisters have won 2 awards from 7 nominations.

NAACP Image Awards

The NAACP Image Awards are awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The Clark Sisters have won 2 awards from 4 nominations.

Soul Train Awards
The Soul Train Music Awards are awarded annually. The Clark Sisters have received 3 nominations.

Stellar Awards
The Stellar Awards are awarded annually by SAGMA. The Clark Sisters have received 6 awards and 1 honorary award.

References

External links
 
 Clark Sisters Official Myspace Page
 The Clark Sisters Official Message Board
 Clark Sisters Marathon on Myspace
 Clark Sisters Internet Radio Station on Live365
 Stellar Awards
 Clark Sisters: Live, One Last Time (Release Alert on BlackGospel.com)

Grammy Award winners
American gospel musical groups
Singers from Detroit
American gospel singers
Sibling quartets
African-American musical groups
Musical groups from Detroit
African-American Christians
American Pentecostals
Members of the Church of God in Christ
American girl groups
Musical groups established in 1966
1966 establishments in Michigan
African-American women musicians
Folole Muliaga ( 1963 – 29 May 2007) was a Samoan schoolteacher living in Mangere, Auckland, New Zealand. She was terminally ill with obesity-related heart and lung disease and using a home oxygen machine. She died less than three hours after the electricity supply from state-owned Mercury Energy was disconnected to her house due to an outstanding balance. The circumstances of her death brought the case to national attention in New Zealand and internationally.

Family background
Muliaga; her husband, Lopaavea Muliaga, and four children, Ietitaia (aged 20 at the time of her death), Desmond (18), Eden (7), had moved to New Zealand in 2000, looking for a better life. A further child was born in New Zealand, and was aged five at the time of her death. She had a University diploma in early childhood education, and was a pre-school teacher.

Illness and death
On May 11, Muliaga was sent home from Auckland's Middlemore Hospital suffering from terminal cardiomyopathy, after being in hospital since late March. Doctors believed that she did not have much longer to live. She had first been admitted to hospital in 2002, with acute respiratory failure, related to her "gross obesity". On previous occasions she had used traditional Samoan health care instead of prescribed medication. Her doctors say that when she was discharged, she was not so ill that the oxygen machine was critical to her survival. Over the past five years she had been told repeatedly that her diet and lifestyle needed to change for her health to improve. The doctor who treated her the first time she was admitted to hospital believed that she only had one to three years, the normal prognosis for patients in her condition. He also stated that for people with such severe obesity (Muliaga weighed up to 210 kg), it is difficult to lose such weight permanently as it is a "disease to gain as much weight as she did". In conjunction with the oxygen concentrator, she had used a BiPAP machine.

On May 29 a contractor for VirCom EMS was sent by Mercury Energy to the Muliaga's house to disconnect the electricity supply. There was an outstanding balance of NZ$168.40. The family had made two payments totaling $106.90 in the last month on their balance, but according to statements later made by Mercury, the outstanding balance was accruing faster than the family were paying it off. The $168 did not include the current month's charges of $136. The family believed they had to June 13 to pay the total amount. In early May, Mr Muliaga had contacted Mercury Energy while his wife was in hospital to discuss the overdue account. But due to the Privacy Act, they would only discuss it with the account holder, who was Mrs Muliaga.

Up until she qualified as a teacher, the TB and Chest Association, paid $35 of the electricity bill. While she had been studying, her husband had supported the family on an income of $24,000 per year. They had used high-interest (30%), short-term loans to get needed money. Once Muliaga had qualified as a teacher, the combined income rose to $60,000. However, when she became ill and had to be hospitalised in early 2007 the family's income was once again reduced to $24 000 per year.

According to the eldest son, the contractor arrived at about 11 a.m. and the family made him aware of Muliaga's medical condition. The family have stated they told the contractor that the oxygen supply needed electricity to continue, but he responded that he was "just doing my job". The contractor said that he saw a medical tube to her nose, but it was not connected to any equipment. He claims that he was not made aware of any need for the oxygen supply. According to the Herald on Sunday newspaper, the police investigation into the death confirmed the contractor's story.

The telephone service to the house had already been disconnected. Although Telecom would not go into specifics of the Muliaga's case, they did state that in general they would "talk to customers and offer budget advice and refer them to budgeting services". This lack of a working telephone in the house meant it was too late to save Muliaga when emergency services were finally contacted. Also compounding the issue was that Muliaga told her sons not to worry, and instructed them not to call an ambulance. When she passed out at 1:30 p.m., the two sons decided to ring but they had to go to an elderly neighbour. Muliaga's husband stated that "as you know Samoans are very respectful of imposing on others, especially if the neighbours aren't Samoan — they're Papalagi [European]".

It was her nephew, Brenden Sheehan, who brought the case to national attention. He said he went to the media the night of the death in the hopes of finding an after-hours number for Mercury Energy to get the electricity supply reconnected. That same evening, a Victim Support worker also telephoned Mercury requesting that the electricity be reconnected. A supervisor at the call-centre said that "she may have passed away in the last couple of days but… I know it's been hard but it's irrelevant" and that the electricity would not be reconnected until further payments were made.

Funeral
Her funeral at the Samoan Assemblies of God in New Zealand Incorporated Headquarters (Samani Pulepule Convention Centre) was attended by about 1000 people. Mourners included Prime Minister Helen Clark and Manukau Mayor Barry Curtis, and executives from Mercury Energy, including then chief executive Doug Heffernan. Her casket donated by Sovereign Industries, and Mercury Energy provided a cheque for $10000 to the cost of the funeral. A large group of executives from the company and its parent visited the Muliaga's home on June 1 to offer their condolences. This was the same day that the Prime Minister also visited.

Aftermath
The actions of the police, who conducted an investigation into the death, upset the family. The family claimed that police showed had a "lack of cultural awareness" and had "institutionalised racism", conducting the interviews in English, the second language of the family. These allegations were denied by the police, who said when they spoke to the two eldest sons, the interview was conducted by a Samoan officer, and the men chose to speak in English.

The police announced 12 June that there was no evidence to justify any charge against the company, contractor or staff member involved.

The Coroner ruled Muliaga died of natural causes relating to being morbidly obese - but the stress of having her power disconnected and not being able to use her oxygen machine contributed to her death. He criticized Mercury and Manukau DHB for their part in her death. 

The contractor was placed on stress leave and received counselling. The family have stated they do not want any disciplinary or criminal actions taken against him and invited him to the funeral. They are also against the police investigation into the matter, believing that the "public interest is not served by a criminal investigation to blame any individual for this tragedy", instead believing any investigation should be into the electricity companies and their practices.

Mercury Energy sent a letter to its 300,000 customers on 16 June, signed by Carole Durbin, chairwoman of Mighty River Power, stating that "Mercury Energy and Mighty River Power deeply regret what occurred".

The Electricity Commission (now the Electricity Authority) issued new guidelines in July 2007 stating consumers who are dependent on electricity for critical medical support should state so to their electricity retailer and are not to be disconnected for non-payment. However, it also recommended that medically dependent consumers should regularly test their back-up batteries and have an emergency plan in case of a prolonged blackout .

References

1960s births
2007 deaths
New Zealand schoolteachers
New Zealand people of Samoan descent
People from the Auckland Region
Deaths from respiratory failure
Date of birth missing
Place of birth missing A deathbed confession is an admittance or confession when someone is nearing death, or on their "death bed". This confession may help alleviate any guilt, regrets, secrets, or sins the dying person may have had in their life. These confessions can occur because the dying want to live the last moments of their life free of any secrets they have been holding in for a portion - or entirety - of their life. Or, if religious, the person may perhaps believe they will be forgiven by a higher power before they die, allowing them entrance to a better place, such as Heaven, after death. A deathbed confession can be given to anyone, but a family member is usually with their loved one during this time. Doctors and nurses may also hear a deathbed confession because they are often present in a person’s last moments.

These confessions can range from a confession of sins that have been committed to crimes that have been committed or witnessed. Often, these confessions are made to clear the dying’s conscience. A common type of confession is either religious or spiritually based. On the death bed, the dying will confess sins or mistakes they have made in their lifetime, and ask for forgiveness, so that they may move on to the afterlife according to their religion. Different religions have different protocols for the deathbed confession, but all religions seek to provide relief for the dying. People may also confess their feelings for another person while dying. This can relieve the dying of the internal struggle with hiding how they actually feel for someone. These emotions can range from hatred to love, and everything in between.

Many confessions have involved the admittance of a crime that the dying has committed, which obviously cannot be prosecuted once the perpetrator has died. On the other hand, someone can confess that they have knowledge of or witnessed a crime that has been committed: This kind of confession, known as a "dying declaration", can sometimes be admissible in court to get a conviction, depending on the circumstances of the statement. Another use for a deathbed confession in the criminal justice system is to re-open a case that may have gone cold to get closure for the victim's family or friends, even if prosecution is not an option.

Religion

Buddhism 
Many terminal patients look to religion or spirituality to bring comfort in their remaining time. Buddhism has been showing up in palliative care more frequently to help patients cope with death and come to peace with the end of their life. Buddhism is a philosophically based religion mainly focused on suffering: why it exists, what causes it, and how to escape it. The belief is that ignorance, anger, and attachment cause inevitable suffering to the body. Buddhism also holds that life and the body is temporary and it is a privilege used to look for enlightenment. Discussing any issues in a patient's life related to suffering can bring inner peace and relief. Buddhism does not seek to manipulate a dying patient into following a religion or forcing dying confessions, but rather to become a thought-provoking way to talk about their suffering and clear themselves of attachment to their body, to prepare for death. Talking about suffering may bring up confessions or secrets that can be released before death to journey towards enlightenment.

Catholicism 
Catholic Christians believe that sins must be confessed to a priest before death. The priest,acting in persona Christi, can then absolve the dying of their sins, so that they can be properly prepared for the afterlife. The admittance of sin is important to the dying individual, because this frees them from sin, purifying the soul for a happy afterlife with God in Heaven. These final confessions, sometimes along with the Last Rites, are often performed by a hospital priest or chaplain when a patient's quality of life suddenly declines.

The Lutheran Church teaches that a sincere deathbed confession can result in the salvation of the penitent.

Hinduism 
Hinduism is largely centered around the idea of karma and reincarnation. Good karma allows the soul to move up on the incarnation hierarchy to a better life. Bad karma does the opposite; it causes the soul to have to pay for its actions in this life or the previous one. The next incarnation is less fortunate until the bad karma is cancelled out by good deeds or suffering. This heavy emphasis on karma leads many Hindus to carry out many final acts to improve their chances in the next life and reduce end of life suffering. The main ways Hindus try to increase their karma before moving onto the next life is by apologizing to people, resolving any issues with family or friends, confessions with a guru or other religious figure, religious ceremonies, sacrifices or repentance. Performing all, or some, of these actions allows the patient to think about God, while they pass and prepare for the next life.

Judaism 

The Talmud teaches that "if one falls sick and his life is in danger, he is told: 'Make confession, for all who are sentenced to death make confession.'" Masechet Semachot adds, "When someone is approaching death, we tell him to confess before he dies, adding that on the one hand, many people confessed and did not die, whilst on the other, there are many who did not confess and died, and there are many who walk in the street and confess; because on the merit of confession you will live."

Native American spirituality 
Many tribes of Native Americans have similar views regarding death. Death is seen as a natural transition, and a part of life. The world is seen as an interconnected web, and a person is an extension of the web, as well as all other life. After death, it is believed by many that the components of your person is returned to the web of life. Making this transition smoothly is important to both the dying, and the loved ones left behind after they have passed on. Ensuring that there are no secrets remaining is vital to a transition back to the web of life.

Law

United States

A deathbed confession can be admissible evidence in court under the right circumstances. If someone confesses knowledge of a crime and then dies or their condition worsens, the law does not consider the statement to be hearsay and can be used in a criminal trial.

Examples

Emma Alice Smith
Many decades after the 1926 disappearance of a 16-year-old girl named Emma Alice Smith in Sussex, in  2009, a man named David Wright claimed his deceased great-aunt Lillian Smith, a sister of Emma Alice Smith, had told her niece that in the 1950s she had taken a death bed confession from a man claiming that he had murdered Emma Alice on her way to the train station in Horam. The case was reopened, not to find a killer, but to find the body of the young girl to give her a proper burial and give her relatives some closure. In 2011, Sussex Police concluded that despite the alleged death-bed confession, Emma Alice Smith had not been murdered but had in fact eloped with a married man named Thomas Wills. Police concluded the pair had probably ended up in the Republic of Ireland.

Margaret Gibson
On October 21, 1964, 70-year-old retired actress Margaret Gibson suffered a heart attack, and then confessed to the February 1, 1922 murder of film director William Desmond Taylor. 

Gibson was never mentioned during the investigation and no surviving documentation refers to any association between Taylor and her after 1914. All of the police files and physical evidence relating to Taylor's murder disappeared by 1940, and aside from circumstantial evidence no confirmation of Gibson's involvement in it has since emerged. However, Gibson's reported confession does not conflict with the known historical record.

See also 
Deathbed conversion
Dying declaration
List of last words

References

Legal aspects of death
Religion and death
Religious practices
Last words